SIMPLE RECIPE FORMAT - From "Ask Oskaar" on the GotMead Live Show

[Oskaar]

Hi Folks,

I said I'd post up a simple recipe and format to use for your batches and for use as a boiler plate for recipe questions. I hope you find this useful to help organize your ingredients, process and methodology:

Oskaarz Sweet Traditional Mead, (12 Gallon Yield)

Ingredients:
27 lbs Orange Blossom
09 lbs Western Buckwheat
06 lbs Dark Wildflower
H20 to 12 Gallons
Mix honey and water until brix reads 30

Meadmaking process:

Yeast Rehydration: 20 g ICV-D21
1. Prepare a solution of 200 ml H2O @110 F + 30 g Go-Ferm
2. Add 20 g of D21 when temperature drops to 104 F and let rest 15 - 30 min
3. Add 200 ml 30 brix must to the rehydrated yeast and mix well
4. Inoculate the must with the yeast slurry
5. Divide into two 6.5 gallon good grade plastic fermenters, aerate well
6. Cover fermenters with sanitized cloth and secure
7. Check fermenters every 2-4 hours for foaming which indicates the end of the lag phase

Fermentation management:
1. At end of lag phase aerate well
2. Add 3 g DAP + 7 g Fermaid-K dissolved in 50 ml H2O.
3. Dose daily with 5 g Fermaid-K
4. Aerate twice daily until 33% sugar break
5. At 33% sugar break add 5 g Fermaid-K dissolved in 50 ml H2O, aerate well
6. Airlock and put in racking rotation row
7. Rack when brix drops to 9

Aging:
1. Taste about bi-monthly after final racking.
2. Age and adjust as appropriate (oak, acid, back-sweeten, etc.)
3. Bottle or keg to your preference



Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[fatbloke]

:notworthy:Excellent yeast to use Pete.......

 

[Clwurster]

I've been using d21 more & more also. Getting very good results

 

[Oskaar]

D21 is my "go to" yeast. Several members of the homebrew club I belong to have made straight traditional mead recipes with D21 over the years and have won 4 gold medals, a silver and a bronze at the MCI. Three of them went to best of show at the Mazer Cup International but lost out to melomels. It's an awesome yeast that imparts a wonderful round mouthfeel and does wonderful things with Macadamia Nut Blossom Honey, Mesquite Blossom Honey and Meadowfoam Blossom honey. Keep on top of your fermentation, feed it, aerate it and you'll be amazed at the end product!

Cheers,

Oskaar

 

[ScottBehrens]

Well I guess I need to rethink my methods. I usually start around 30.x brix and I see Oskaar recommends racking at 9 Brix, I think that's about 1.035, I have been staying in primary to completion, getting a .2-.3 pH rise towards the end. Now I am thinking this rise may be due to dead and dying yeast? Sounds like I need to rack earlier. or is it specific to D21?

 

[ScottBehrens]

Maybe the rack at 9 Brix is uncorrected Brix.

 

[Oskaar]

I use the 9 brix uncorrected as a spot to rack to help slow the batch down and get it off the lees and to reduce the active yeast population. It's a sweet mead and I generally use dark honey or a lighter colored honey with darker honey blended in. The sweetness level will generally end up between 1.020-1.030 at finish which is where I like it as it ages well and there is a good acid presence to balance the sweetness.

Hope that helps,

Oskaar